COT sharing indicator for message 3 in random access procedure

Abstract

A method of operating a user equipment, UE, in a wireless communication system includes receiving a first random access procedure message from a base station, the first random access procedure message containing a channel occupancy time, COT, sharing indicator that indicates a shared COT period associated with the first random access procedure message, and transmitting a second random access procedure message to the base station within the shared COT period. A method of operating a base station includes transmitting a first random access procedure message to a user equipment, UE, the first random access procedure message containing a channel occupancy time, COT, sharing indicator that indicates a shared COT period associated with the first random access procedure message, and receiving a second random access procedure message from the UE within the shared COT period.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of operating a user equipment, UE, in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 receiving a first random access procedure message from a base station, the first random access procedure message containing a channel access type field that indicates a channel access type used for transmitting the second random access procedure message during a shared channel occupancy time, COT, period associated with the first random access procedure message; and 
 transmitting a second random access procedure message to the base station within the shared COT period; 
 wherein the first random access procedure message further comprises a COT sharing indicator that indicates the shared COT period associated with the first random access procedure message, wherein the COT sharing indicator comprises one of:
 a bit that is reused from an existing uplink grant field, 
 a bit that is reused from a medium access control, MAC, payload or a MAC subheader, or 
 a bit that is reused from a timing advance command field. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the COT sharing indicator comprises a COT sharing indicator bit indicating that the second random access procedure message can be transmitted within a current COT period. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the COT sharing indicator comprises a channel access priority class field that indicates a channel access priority class associated with a channel access type that can be used for transmitting the second random access procedure message. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the existing uplink grant field comprises an MCS field, a channel state information, CSI, request field or a physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, frequency resource allocation field. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the COT sharing indicator comprises a new field in an uplink grant message. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the COT sharing indicator is transmitted in downlink control information, DCI, in a MAC control element, CE, or a radio resource control, RRC, signaling message. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the channel access type field comprises two bits out of a physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, resource allocation in an uplink grant field. 
     
     
       8. A method of operating a base station, comprising
 transmitting a first random access procedure message to a user equipment, UE, the first random access procedure message containing a channel access type field that indicates a channel access type used for transmitting a second random access procedure message during a shared channel occupancy time, COT, period associated with the first random access procedure message; and 
 receiving the second random access procedure message from the UE within the shared COT period; 
 wherein the first random access procedure message comprises a channel occupancy time, COT, sharing indicator that indicates the shared COT period associated with the first random access procedure message, wherein the COT sharing indicator comprises:
 a bit that is reused from an existing uplink grant field, 
 a bit that is reused from a medium access control, MAC, payload or a MAC subheader, or 
 a bit that is reused from a timing advance command field. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the COT sharing indicator comprises a COT sharing indicator bit indicating that the second random access procedure message can be transmitted within a current COT period. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the COT sharing indicator comprises a channel access priority class field that indicates a channel access priority class associated with a channel access type that can be used for transmitting the second random access procedure message. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the existing uplink grant field comprises an MCS field, a channel state information, CSI, request field or a physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, frequency resource allocation field. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the COT sharing indicator comprises a new field in an uplink grant message. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the COT sharing indicator is transmitted in downlink control information, DCI, in a MAC control element, CE, or a radio resource control, RRC, signaling message. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the channel access type field comprises two bits out of a physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, resource allocation in an uplink grant field.